Firstly, I will describe the major differences between General British English and Modern Standard American English. After that, I will analyse Adele and Elton John by comparing them speak in an interview and then sing a song. Lastly, I will do a research about a few reasons of this phenomena of shifting accents when people are singing. The goal of this term paper is to see if there really is a shifting in accents when singing com- pared to speaking and gain a bit of understanding why, if that is the case.
Language is the most important tool of communication. It involves every aspect of our life. When we are happy, sad or angry about something we often express our emo- tions through words. Today, thousands of languages are spoken and every language has different accents and dialects. Interestingly, sometimes it seems like a person changes their accent for different matters. When it comes to English, I was always drawn to the difference in accents and the one I like the most is the British one. Throughout the years I noticed how I sometimes struggled to connect a singer to his or her origin or region they are from because they sound so different when they are singing to when they are speaking. For the purpose of this paper, Adele and Elton John will serve as examples.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- British English vs. American English
- Vowels
- Diphthongs
- Consonants
- Adele
- Interview
- Song
- Elton John
- Interview
- Song
- Reasons
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential shifting of accents when singing compared to speaking, particularly focusing on the examples of Adele and Elton John. It will analyze the major differences between General British English and Modern Standard American English, examining how these differences manifest in singing and speaking.
- Differences between General British English and Modern Standard American English
- Analysis of Adele and Elton John's accents in speaking and singing
- Exploration of reasons for potential accent shifting when singing
- The impact of phonetic environment on vowel and diphthong pronunciation
- The role of accent in conveying identity and regional affiliation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of accent and its importance in communication, highlighting the specific focus on British and American English accents, particularly in relation to singing. The author discusses the chosen examples of Adele and Elton John and outlines the paper's objectives and structure.
- British English vs. American English: This chapter delves into the key differences between General British English and Modern Standard American English, primarily focusing on phonetic variations in vowels, diphthongs, and consonants. The chapter utilizes academic resources to support its analysis and highlights specific examples to illustrate the differences.
- Adele: This chapter analyzes the vocal patterns of Adele, comparing her speaking and singing voices. The focus is on identifying any potential accent shifts and examining the phonetic features that contribute to her vocal identity.
- Elton John: This chapter replicates the analysis of Adele, exploring Elton John's speaking and singing accents to determine if and how they differ. The chapter will analyze the phonetic features that characterize his vocal styles in both contexts.
- Reasons: This chapter explores possible reasons for accent shifts when singing. It examines the potential influence of factors such as musical style, audience expectations, and the nature of the performance environment. The chapter will draw upon relevant research findings to support its analysis.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the linguistic phenomena of accent shifting, particularly in the context of English singing. Key areas of investigation include phonetic variations, vowel and diphthong pronunciation, American and British English dialects, vocal style analysis, and the influence of performance environment and musical genre on accent.
- Quote paper
- Berna Dayioglu (Author), 2021, Singing Away the Accent, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1252971
